Whiffletree-coupling



A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC,

MILO BAXTER RUNYAN, OF GREAT FALLS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, AND EDVARD J. MORISON, OF PHILBROOK, MONTANA.

WHl-FFLETREE-COU PLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,702, dated June 10, 1890. I Application filed October 10, 1889. Serial No. 326,616. (No model.) Y

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that l, MILO BAXTER RUNYAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Great Falls, in the county of Cascade and Territory of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Whiftletree- Couplings, of which the following is a specication.

This invention -relates to a whiftletrce-coupling for connecting either a singletree, a doubletree, or a trebletree to a vehicle-pole or to the cross-bar of the thills, or for connecting a singletree to a doubletree or trebletree.

The object of the invention is to provide a safety whiflletree coupling which will be strong and durable and which will hold the parts firmly and securely.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings is a perspective View of a portion of a pair of thills and a singletreeconnected to the crossbar thereof by means of this improved Whittletree-coupling. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of this improved whiftletree-coupling detached. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section through a whiletree and cross-bar connected by this improved whiffletree-coupling.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different gures.

This improved whiiiietree coupling` comprises a bolt 10, a plate l5, fixed centrally on said bolt, a curved brace 20, and nuts 30 and 4:0 at opposite ends of said bolt. The bolt lO extends through whiflietree 50 and through the cross-bar, doubletree, or singletree 60. This bolt is preferably of smaller diameter in the part below the plate l5,which passes through the cross-bar, than in its upper part above said plate, which passes through the whiiiletree. The bolt is provided above the whifletree with a reduced extension ll, a shoulder l2 being formed at the junction of the extension with the body of the bolt on a plane at or above the top of the whiiiietree. The lower end of the bolt l0 is provided with a screw-thread 13 and the upper end of the extension 11 is provided with a screw-thread 11i, said screw-thread being adapted for receiving the nuts 30 and 40. The curved brace 20 is provided with an attaching-plate 21 at its lower end and with an oye 22 at its upper end, said eye being adapted to t over the reduced extension 1l of the bolt 10. The attaching-plate or T-shaped end of the brace is provided with screw-holes 23 for attachment of the brace to the cross-bar G0.

In the use of this improved whiflietree-couplingl the whiflletree is passed over the upper portion of the bolt lO into contact with the plate l5, which is bent up and made to elnbrace the whittletree on opposite sides thereof. The lower portion of the bolt is then passed through the cross bar and the nut 30 applied to the lower end of said bolt. The eye 22 of the brace 20 is then passed over the reduced extension 11 of the bolt l0 and the T-shaped vend 2l of said brace secured by screws to the cross-bar. The nut 40 is then placed on the threaded portion of said extension over said eye. The curved plate 15 causes the bolt to turn with the whiflietree as the latter oscillates. The brace 2O prevents the bolt from canting forward, and in connection with the plate l5 renders the coupling absolutely secure, as the bolt cannot escape if both nuts be lost. The shoulderl2 constitutes a stop against the eye of said brace to prevent the upward movement of the bolt, and the plate l5 acts as a stop against the cross-bar to prevent the downward movement of the bolt.

l claiml. Abolt for a whifietree-coupling provided with a fixed plate adapted to intervene between the whii'iietree and its supporting-bar and with a reduced extension at one end, a shoulder being formed at the junction of said extension with the body of the bolt.

2. A whiftietree-couplin g comprising a whifiietree-bolt provided with a fixed plate adapted to intervene between the Whiflletree and its supporting-bar and with a reduced extension at one end, a shoulder being formed at the junction -of said extension with the body of the bolt, and a curved brace provided at one end with an attaching-plate and at the other end with an eye for receiving the extension of said bolt and engaging the shoulder thereof.

A WhifIietree-coupling comprising a bolt of a length to extend through the whiifletree and its supporting-bar, said bolt being pro- IOO vided with a fixed plate adapted to intervene between the whiffletrce and its su pportin gbar, with a reduced extension at one end, with a shoulder at the junction of said extension with the body of the bolt, and with screw- -threads at its extremities, a curved brace provided with an eye at one end for receiving said extension and engaging said shoulder, and with an attaching-plate at its opposite end, and nuts for said Screw-threaded extremities.

4. The combination of a whiitletree, a supporting-bar therefor, a pivot-bolt for said tree and bar provided with a curved plate Xed on said bolt between said t-ree and bar and with a reduced extension at one end, a shoulder being formed at the junction of said eX- tension with the body of the bolt, and a curved brace attached to said bar and provided with an eye for receiving said extension and engaging said shoulder.

5. The combination of a whii'letree, a supportngbar therefor, a pivot-bolt for said tree and bar provided with a curved plate fixed on said bolt between said tree and bar, the ends of said curved plate being curved upward to embrace said whifl'letrec and with a reduced extension at one end, a Shoulder being formed at the junction of Said extension with the body of the bolt, and a curved brace attached to said bar and provided with an eye for receiving said extension and engaging said shoulder.

6. The combination of a Whilfletree, a supporting-bar therefor, a pivot -bolt passing through said bar and tree provided with a curved plate fixed on said bolt between said bar and tree,witl1 a reduced extension at one end of Said bolt beyond the Whilietree, with a shoulder at the junction of said extension with the body of the bolt, and with screwthreads at the extremities of said bolt, a curved brace attached at 011e end to said supportingbar and provided at the other end with an oye for receiving said extension and engaging said shoulder, and nuts at the extremities of said bolt.

MIL() BAXTER RUNY AN.

\Vitnesses:

C. E. FORD, Jr., E. W. JOHNSON. 

